Fedearroz BioZn035, the first biofortified zinc rice for Colombia, was released in October 2021. It is expected to generate strong demand in rural markets given its health benefits. Rice is a significant part of Colombia’s economy and Colombians’ diets, making it a great opportunity to improve nutrition.

Zinc rice is targeted in particular for children; according to the National Survey on Nutrition (Encuesta Nacional de la Situación Nutricional), 43 percent of children between the ages of 1 to 4 suffer from zinc deficiency, while 62 percent suffer from anemia.  

According to the HarvestPlus Biofortification Priority Index (BPI), investments in zinc-biofortified crops are likely to have the most impact in the Caribbean region. That’s why HarvestPlus led the creation of an interdisciplinary alliance between scientific, trade ,and governmental institutions for agronomic crop management and proper processing of rice to ensure a market for the new biofortified zinc rice variety in rural and urban areas of the Caribbean region.
Source: AgroPages